Hey guys, Alex here but some of you may know me better as comic. I'm your friendly Cemetech Admin and I want your honest input on Cemetech.

Cemetech has a deep and rich history with Texas Instruments line of Graphing Calculators. I think we can all safely say that we're here and interested in computer related fields because of them. Except, there's an issue. We tend to leave our calculator programming behind once we leave High School. I've been with Cemetech since 2006, the calculator community since 2004 or 2005. I've seen my fair share of members cycles through these forums. Great people leave because they moved on to bigger projects. I'm one of the outliers, someone who doesn't do programing or computer engineering in any capacity but I'm here because Cemetech is my family and I've added what I wanted to see. I created the Photography topic because I found a deep love with my camera, and I'm still posting in it 7 years later as are other members. Rather than leave Cemetech because it no longer catered to my interests I brought my interests to Cemetech. Now I invite you guys to do the same. Post projects you're working on outside of calculators. I don't care if it's a car restoration project or a mobile phone app you're making. I encourage you guys to shape Cemetech to what you want.

In an effort to keep you guys here as you eventually transition beyond calculators, what topics and interests would you like Cemetech to host? Maybe you'd like to see an Electrical Engineering section, or a Computer Networking. Maybe a Sciences and Mathematics. Our goal isn't to keep you here forever but we certainly want to broaden our appeal to more areas than just calculators and we want to start by understanding your interests.

This will not be a one way street. For example, maybe you're the only member on the forum who wants to learn the Swift programming language. Please make every effort to update us on your projects and the progress on them. Through your persistence, visitors will come. Those visitors will register and share their projects, ask for help etc. Those of you who are don't want to learn Swift, post in those topics anyways. Ask questions, compliment the progress, voice opinions.

On that note, I've been reorganizing the Cemetech Forum Index so it's easier to navigate. Creating a Computer Programing category and separating the Axe & ICE programs from the BASIC. With the help from PT_, we've been moving topics into these newly formed areas and there's still a lot more work to be done. For example all the topics that are wrongly posted in the KermBook areas because members couldn't find a more adequate area to post in. Additionally, perhaps we can start tagging posts with brackets. [84CSE] or [84SE] when talking about programming BASIC, as well as other things. [C++] when posting in the C, C# & C++ forum and so on. It'll make it easier to locate topics when members search and when moving topics.

tl;dr: We want to broaden our scope to within the STEM field. So I'd like your input and help in making this transition as easy as possible by understanding your interests and how I can incorporate that into the site going forward.

There are two types of people in the world: those who can extrapolate data from incomplete data

To be honest, I think that a DIY section wouldn't be too out of place. I do like a science and math section, and a tutorial section (for C, C++, ez80 asm, z80 asm, and other stuff like that) would help too.

Last edited by _iPhoenix_ on 29 Jun 2017 11:34:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

I think that DIY projects should go in the your projects subforum, but maybe that could have a subsection inside!

Perhaps a music section, that could be cool, and maybe even an art section?

Here's why:

Programming is an expression of one's own creativity in a constructive way, just like music and art. A lot of people who like programming like these things (or would if they did it more) subconsciously because of that.

Second action: Fire whoever thought C# goes with C and C++ rather than with the Java subforum.

Adding to that; I think that making the site actually user friendly would be nice When I click on 'Forum' there's just a huge page that has literally nothing I'm looking for if I have a simple question; which rather off putting. There is no way to just make a topic and assign it a tag; like how stack overflow does. Not by forcing users to assign tags; but rather creating a database which classifies topics under tags. Then admins can add tags if users require it. This creates a much better indexing system and finding topics hundreds of times easier than hoping the search bar can actually find what I am looking for.

Last edited by Alex on 30 Jun 2017 01:37:05 am; edited 1 time in total

Caleb_J wrote:

To be honest, I think that a DIY section wouldn't be too out of place.

That's my $0.02.

_iPhoenix_ wrote:

I think that DIY projects should go in the your projects subforum, but maybe that could have a subsection inside!

Good ideas! I'll add that in tonight.

Quote:

Perhaps a music section, that could be cool, and maybe even an art section?

Here's why:

Programming is an expression of one's own creativity in a constructive way, just like music and art. A lot of people who like programming like these things (or would if they did it more) subconsciously because of that.

But that just doesn't seem like "Cemetech" to me, so I don't know!

That's a really good idea. I'll separate out the Programming and Design category and create a creativity one to encompass art, design, music and, others.

Quote:

EDIT:
Perhaps add a hobbies subforum, for things that don't fit in!

I think what I'll do is create a "Other Hobbies" sub-forum under the Creativity category.

MateoConLechuga wrote:

Second action: Fire whoever thought C# goes with C and C++ rather than with the Java subforum.

Adding to that; I think that making the site actually user friendly would be nice When I click on 'Forum' there's just a huge page that has literally nothing I'm looking for if I have a simple question; which rather off putting. There is no way to just make a topic and assign it a tag; like how stack overflow does. Not by forcing users to assign tags; but rather creating a database which classifies topics under tags. Then admins can add tags if users require it. This creates a much better indexing system and finding topics hundreds of times easier than hoping the search bar can actually find what I am looking for.

While I appreciate the feedback that's outside the scope of this topic. I'm addressing the focus of Cemetech's mission and membership, as well as the more immediate problem of the forum reorganization. Hold on to that or send me a PM about some ideas, I certainly have tons of ideas about this behind the scenes.

There are two types of people in the world: those who can extrapolate data from incomplete data

Adding to that; I think that making the site actually user friendly would be nice When I click on 'Forum' there's just a huge page that has literally nothing I'm looking for if I have a simple question; which rather off putting. There is no way to just make a topic and assign it a tag; like how stack overflow does. Not by forcing users to assign tags; but rather creating a database which classifies topics under tags. Then admins can add tags if users require it. This creates a much better indexing system and finding topics hundreds of times easier than hoping the search bar can actually find what I am looking for.

This. The topic should be renamed to something like "how should we rearrange the forums" if this idea isn't in-scope for a public discussion.

I personally don't have a problem with the title, it seems pretty fitting for a topic aimed at finding things that people may be interested in *gasp* after calculators.

That's exactly what this is. Evolving and moving beyond calculators, not simply "rearranging the forums", not about the site and forum UX as I get into detail below. We've had members leave because they move beyond calculators, while we aren't ditching our calculator roots we certainly want to offer those members a place to post their computer programming projects and stay with us longer. We want to branch into the fields our members are interested in, and considering most of us are interested in STEM, it makes sense that we should offer the fields you guys are interested in within STEM then branch out to support more as additional users either register or come back to partake in these new and relevant-to-their-interest discussions.

MateoConLechuga wrote:

My suggestion is:
Just allowing topics to be classified easier and better so more people can put things where they want when they create a topic.

Indeed. We currently don't have anything on phpBBs' end to facilitate that. We can't just drop and adopt a new forum overnight or even over a few months. We're probably a couple years away from changing forum software if we do at all but it's something I want us to do eventually. We're held back by phpBB quite a bit and the rest of the site is built around phpBB and into the phpBB template. There's no easy way to just move on.

Tari is doing excellent work by untangling a lot of the mess on the backend in his free time. I'm not up to speed on what's going on and the progress of everything but he is making the site easier to work on. So, until the time comes we're going to need to improvise; manually tagging posts and creating relevant areas for topics is the best way to achieve that going forward. Hopefully over the next few years these tags will become somewhat standard and we can use the common tags to create that tagging system on the new forum structure.

There are two types of people in the world: those who can extrapolate data from incomplete data

[...]Post projects you're working on outside of calculators. I don't care if it's a car restoration project or a mobile phone app you're making. I encourage you guys to shape Cemetech to what you want.[...]

I wholeheartedly agree. Though Cemetech is, at its core, a public forum, It has evolved into more of a massive family. The fact that we can recognise and empathise with other members we've known over the years is a unique feature I haven't seen really flesh on other forums. I've only been truly active since about January, so I'm sure these effects are exacerbated for older members like Kerm, just to give an example. We can take this camaraderie and continue this site on the path of fleshing out Cemetech's personality rather than becoming a boring technology help center (not to say we are currently a boring technology help center).

Alex wrote:

tl;dr: We want to broaden our scope to within the STEM field. So I'd like your input and help in making this transition as easy as possible by understanding your interests and how I can incorporate that into the site going forward.

This is another good point. While we can flesh out our interests on this site, we should still maintain a 'theme' of sorts to prevent Cemetech from completely unraveling into rampant out-of-place posts.

tl;dr: We want to broaden our scope to within the STEM field. So I'd like your input and help in making this transition as easy as possible by understanding your interests and how I can incorporate that into the site going forward.

This is another good point. While we can flesh out our interests on this site, we should still maintain a 'theme' of sorts to prevent Cemetech from completely unraveling into rampant out-of-place posts.

That is exactly what I was concerned about, but I have since decided that it would be really cool!

I was going to put something about CW here, but my fingers hurt and I have a mallet recital...

Mateo's suggestion is very good. I never thought of it and just accepted that forums are organised into subforums and so on from the start. If we go the way Mateo proposes this may be a solution for what Alex wishes to achieve... imagine that we do some pokemon program and have it on one calculator first, then port the same on another calculator or even develop the same on mobile, etc so projects could grow with us as we move on to different platforms or switch between programming languages or OSs. Currently same topic cannot be continued in a different subforum...

Last edited by MateoConLechuga on 30 Jun 2017 08:12:14 pm; edited 1 time in total

_iPhoenix_ wrote:

Instead of typing tags in to the title, have a "add tags" button, which lets you add tags. Each word typed is a tag, and caps are ignored. All alphanumeric characters and "-" are allowed.

MateoConLechuga wrote:

There is no way to just make a topic and assign it a tag; like how stack overflow does. Not by forcing users to assign tags; but rather creating a database which classifies topics under tags. Then admins can add tags if users require it. This creates a much better indexing system and finding topics hundreds of times easier than hoping the search bar can actually find what I am looking for.

I feel like I have pulled you over to the dark side now without you realizing it

Anywho; how about a section on outdoor things; like biking, hiking and climbing? I do a lot of that in my spare time (Also skydiving for JamesV haha)

Guys, I just want to steer you back towards the topic at hand. To reiterate what I said in a prior post, I'm addressing the focus of Cemetech's mission and membership, as well as the more immediate problem of the forum reorganization.

MateoConLechuga wrote:

Anywho; how about a section on outdoor things; like biking, hiking and climbing? I do a lot of that in my spare time (Also skydiving for JamesV haha)

Thanks Mateo for attempting to bring this back on topic

That's a great idea! Maybe I'll put that under the Other Hobbies sub-forum in the Creativity category. Just, do we really need a dedicated sub-forum to that? I feel like a regular topic within Other Hobbies should be sufficient. I don't think we really want 20+ topics of users hiking, biking, climbing, surfing, etc.

There are two types of people in the world: those who can extrapolate data from incomplete data

Speaking of derailing forum topics and outdoor things and Cemetech membership after high school, I was inactive for a while because I was in Japan. Sorry about that, it was too fun to stop thinking about the trip and I just finished sorting the 900 photos I took that week.

I would like to see the Learn section expanded beyond calculators. Maybe quick lessons on the basics of electronics (V=IR, how to hook up pull-up, pull down resistors, debouncing buttons,) the intermediates of electronics (microcontrollers, integrated circuits) and if possible with the few very knowledgeable electrically inclined people on cemetech an advanced circuits section (which I could benefit from and I'm sure many others.)

and among there, probably in the basics of electronics would be a section on how to solder, hook up on breadboard etc. but I'm not sure how well written instructions will be able to teach that.

Have your own thoughts to add to this or any other topic? Want to ask a question, offer a suggestion, share your own programs and projects, upload a file to the file archives, get help with calculator and computer programming, or simply chat with like-minded coders and tech and calculator enthusiasts via the site-wide AJAX SAX widget? Registration for a free Cemetech account only takes a minute.